The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has once again retained his position as Africa’s wealthiest man, topping Forbes’ Real-time Billionaires List with a net worth of $24.4 billion and ranking 88th globally.
The latest ranking, released at the weekend, underscores Dangote’s unmatched dominance in Africa’s wealth hierarchy, where he stands far ahead of his Nigerian peers.
With a net worth of $7.2 billion, Abdulsamad Rabiu emerged as the 516th world’s richest man, while Mike Adenuga took 592nd position with a net worth of $6.3 billion.
Since first appearing on Forbes’ list in 2008, Dangote has remained a fixture, reclaiming his spot in 2011 and holding the title of Africa’s richest man for 14 consecutive years. His fortune, largely driven by cement, sugar, and the landmark petroleum refinery launched in 2023, has reinforced his role as a symbol of Nigeria’s industrial strength.
While Dangote leads, other Nigerian billionaires continue to secure their places. Rabiu, with strongholds in cement and sugar, and Adenuga, with investments in telecommunications and oil, remain prominent players.
In South Africa, luxury goods tycoon Johann Rupert tops the chart at $13.2billion, followed by former diamond boss Nicky Oppenheimer, with $10.4billion.
Others include: Koos Bekker with $3.8billion; mining magnate, Patrice Motsepe with $3.4billion; banker, Michiel le Roux, with $2.7billion; Jannie Mouton and family with $1.9billion, and retail investor, Christoffel Wiese with $1.7billion.
Egypt’s wealthy cohort is headlined by Nassef Sawiris ($8.8billion) and Naguib Sawiris ($5.0billion).
The Mansour brothers, Mohamed ($3.4billion), Youssef ($1.4billion), and Yasseen ($1.2billion), complete the country’s strong showing.
Beyond the three dominant nations, Eswatini’s Nathan Kirsh holds a net worth of $8.0billion.
